


Never Been Kissed

by xoxoLaurmani



Category: Fifth Harmony (Band), One Direction (Band)
Genre: F/M, Movie fic, Never Been Kissed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-02 22:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4076704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xoxoLaurmani/pseuds/xoxoLaurmani
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the 1999 Drew Barrymore movie by the same name. </p><p>Lauren Jauregui is a journalist working for magazine where she's always overlooked and never given an opportunity to shine. That is until she's given the assignment of going back to high school to dig up a story. Seems like an easy task for the young reporter who looks the part but problems arise when she starts to fall for her English teacher, Mr. Zayn Malik.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Never Been Kissed

**Author's Note:**

> Edited myself so sorry for any errors.

“Lauren!!”

The yell could be heard throughout the entire office building. Lauren rushes to her boss’s office and kicks the door lightly to open because her hands are very much occupied at that moment. Upon entering she’s greeted with a stern looking Mr. LA Reid. Anyone else would think they were on the brink of losing their job but Lauren has been there long enough to know that’s just his face. She unloads the coffee and bag of pastries from her hands onto his desk.

“Thirty-four minutes, Lauren.” Mr. Reid says in his slick posh California accent. Once upon a time Lauren thought it was cute but now it’s just grating. Maybe because that accent is always yelling at her.

“Sorry sir. Traffic was terrible and I know you like the pumpkin muffins from that little mom and pop bakery so-“

“That’s enough, you can go.” He interrupts taking a sip of the coffee.

“Uh…” Lauren hesitates stumbling over her words a bit. She knows better than to poke the bear but she didn’t spend four years of university working hard for a degree in journalism to fetch coffee and be dismissed. She’s been working here for almost a year and has yet to be given an actual assignment to be published in the magazine. The only time she’s ever seen her name in little black font in Epic Magazine’s pages is when she’s credited as the editor and that’s only if she gets lucky, really lucky. “Is that all, Mr. Reid?”

“Actually no,” Lauren’s face lights up. This will be her first assignment as a journalist. Long overdue but much appreciated. “The phones have been ringing off the hook all morning. I think the usual girl is out. Would you mind?”

With much practice Lauren has learned to keep her face calm and cool and it’s coming in handy more than ever at this very moment. Instead of screaming, “ _I’m not a fucking secretary!_ ” in Mr. Reid’s face like her heart would like her to her response is a simple, “Sure, not a problem.” And with a tight lipped smile she exits his office.

Meek isn’t a word Lauren likes to use to describe herself. That word reminds her of a mouse and she’s no mouse. But she’s definitely quiet though. Strong minded and level-headed but non-confrontational. Lauren’s style would be described by most as ordinary but Lauren prefers the word simple. Mostly black, white, gray, and beige colors adorn her frame and she keeps her hair up in a ponytail. It’s not that she doesn’t want to be noticed she feels that people who are worthwhile will notice her no matter how much she _blends in_ so why waste time attracting the attention of shallow people when it’s fleeting anyway.

Obviously that philosophy has meant that her dating life is pretty much non-existent. Men rarely approach her. Lauren has been on a few dates and has had  a few kisses but none of them made her feel anything. If you ask her she’ll tell you she’s never been kissed. A kiss, according to Lauren Jauregui, is a white hot Hollywood Roman candle type of thing that makes you feel like a garden of butterflies somehow got trapped in your gut. Over the years as Lauren got older she let go of a lot of dreams and fantasies but that is one that’s never going anywhere. She will get a kiss, one day.

****

“No ma’am I’m not sure why your magazine was thrown into a puddle instead of being delivered to your doorstep. But I think that might be a complaint for your local post office and no-“

“DON’T TELL ME WHO I’M ALLOWED TO COMPLAIN TO!” the voice on the other line booms so loud that Lauren has to remove that receiver from her face. The person continues to yell and other employees walk by give her dirty looks as she sheepishly looks away.

“Please hold.” Lauren says quickly into the phone and hangs up, silently praying that they don’t call back.

A minute passes and the phone doesn’t ring so Lauren assumes the coast is clear. Yeah, that woman will most likely cancel her subscription but that doesn’t bother Lauren in the least bit.

The door opens and in strolls Simon Cowell. This guy scares the shit out of Lauren because at the snap of his manicured fingers her ass could be out of a job and eventually on the street. Strangely enough Lauren loved these visits because not only did he intimidate her but also-

“Simon! Hello sir! What a surprise!” LA’s voice could be heard saying as he rushes from his office to greet his boss. He was practically shaking with fear and Lauren has never felt as alive in her life as she does right now watching him squirm.

“A surprise makes it seem like a friendly visit and I assure you this is not. I need to see you and every journalist or reporter I have on pay roll in the meeting room. NOW!” Simon says walking past LA.  

Lauren sits in shock. Simon pops up regularly but she’s never seen him this upset.

“Aren’t you a journalist here?” LA asks when he sees that Lauren hasn’t made any moves to leave her seat and go to the meeting. The question surprises her, he actually knows what she was hired for.

“I’m not even sure anymore.” Lauren replies sarcastically and instantly bites her tongue and mentally curses herself. Maybe she shouldn’t have said that.

“This is no time to be a smart ass. Let’s go!”

***

Nerves are high as Lauren trails behind LA into the room where the meeting with Simon is being held. Every face in the room mirrors her internal thoughts of doom and terror. At the head of the table sits Simon. LA moves to take the seat to the very right of him. That leaves Lauren as the last one standing, she felt like she was in school trying to pick a lunch table but instead she’s trying to find a seat next to a coworker. Thankfully there’s a seat next to Ally. Ally is the only person in the office that Lauren considers to be a friend. The petite woman motions to the seat beside her and Lauren graciously takes it.

“Saved you a seat.” Ally whispers.

“Thanks,” Lauren whispers back. “Any clue what this is about?”

“No idea but he looks pissed.” Ally answers and Lauren gulps audibly. Yeah this is it. Simon’s gonna fire this entire room. Lauren starts planning her next move in her head when Simon’s British accent cuts through her thoughts.

“As much as I know you all love to see me,” he takes the opportunity to focus on LA for a second before he continues, “I must assure you all that this is not a leisurely visit. I am here because sales and subscriptions are at an all-time low. Never in the nearly ten year history of this magazine have I seen numbers like these. So I wondered to myself, what’s the problem? Could it be who I put in charge here?” Another look at LA. “Maybe, but I decided before I did anything rash like firing Mr. Reid that I’d take a look at the magazine myself. It’s the most boring and useless drivel I’ve read in my entire life. There’s an article in the latest issue titled, _Ten Things You Didn’t Know about Your Cat_. Who in the hell wants to read about that?!”

Ally sinks down in her seat and Lauren feels the need to as well considering she edited that piece. In Ally’s defense it was well written and gave Lauren a better insight to the feline species but she could see why Simon was upset. She grabs Ally’s hand beneath the table and squeezes it in a gesture that she hopes comes off as comforting.

“This magazine needs a change of pace or this entire office is getting a change of pace,” Simon continues, “Epic needs more opinion pieces. People love the opinions of people they don’t know. Why do you think twitter is so popular?”

Lauren nods because that’s true.

“We need more entertainment pieces. LA you have a strong background in the entertainment industry I’m sure you can get interviews with actual chart topping musicians and not YouTube cover bands. And last but not least we need an exposé. All we need to do is crack a story wide open. That would cause the magazine to fly off the shelves.”

“What would we expose, sir?” One of the newer journalists asks and Simon fixes his face in concentration.

Ally slowly raises her hand and Simon points to her signaling that she may speak.

“Well… I think what you want is for our magazine to appeal to a younger audience. It’s no secret that Epic hasn’t been in touch with the teen population as of late. Maybe that’s why one of us thought it appropriate to write an article on cats. Anyway, I think the exposé should be something about teenagers. There’s always scandal there and they would want to read it.”

Simon face breaks out in a smile. Lauren is glad she’s there to witness it because if someone told her later she wouldn’t have believed them.

“Ms. Hernandez you just saved your job. That’s a fantastic idea!”

Ally lets out a sigh of relief and Lauren feels not only happy, but really proud of her friend. Sure, _her_ job is still in immediate danger but go Ally! All of a sudden almost every hand in the room is up to give ideas. It’s like Ally broke some type of seal and now everyone else feels like they need to prove why they belong here. Ideas are flying left and right. After someone suggested they investigate the power vine has over teens Lauren has heard enough and raises her hand as well. Simon points in her direction and the platform is hers.

“Maybe we don’t have to figure out what our story is just yet? I think we should go to the source and investigate the subjects to find our story. Let’s go where teens are the most and see what we can dig up. Let’s plant a reporter in a high school.”

The room goes silent and Lauren feels like she said something wrong. Her minds mind races with way that could back pedal out of this if her preferred option of the ground opening up and swallowing her doesn’t work out. And nope, she remains unswallowed by the ground.

“Brilliant!” Simon exclaims and for the second time in what Lauren hypothesizes probably his entire life he smiles. A smile that stretches across his whole. She truly cannot believe that a) its happening and b) she was the cause. “LA where have you been keeping this one?”

At the sound of his name LA snaps to attention. Lauren doesn’t doubt that he’s been blacked out this whole time not paying a sliver of attention to anything, he never does.

“Lauren’s one of the best we have here. I call her my secret weapon. Only give her the most important jobs.” LA responds kissing ass like his life depends on it and at this moment maybe it does. Lauren’s tempted to ask how important is getting coffee and donuts but she refrains. All in due time.

“I love this idea and you Miss?” Simon stops and stares at Lauren. Of course he doesn’t know her name.

“Jauregui. Lauren Jauregui.” She quickly answers.

“Lauren Jauregui you will enroll in high school.”

“Me?!” Lauren exclaims as LA simultaneously blurts out “Her?!”

“Yes her,” Simon gives and LA a sharp look, “and yes you.” He turns his gaze to Lauren and it’s softer than it was for LA. “With the little makeover could pass for a high school student. I want weekly updates on this project. You have until the end of the school year to deliver a fantastic story or some heads are going to roll. And as for the rest of you I still want great things for these upcoming issues. Get to work on it!”

***

“Let me get this straight… you were asked to go back to high school and you agreed?” Lauren’s brother Harry asked. She went to visit him at work and to ask a favor of him.

“Not really _asked_ but told and not really _agreed_ but didn’t decline for fear of losing my job.” Lauren corrects.

“And you’re asking to borrow my car? Why not drive your own?”

“Because, no offense lil bro, my car is a 2013 Honda Civic and yours is… not. I just think your car would be something more along the lines of what an actual high school student would drive… no offense.” Lauren flashes Harry a smile but he doesn’t budge. He looks confused and, even though he won’t admit it, a little offended.

“You really think this is a good idea Lauren? You remember what high school was like for you. Remember what they called you?”

Lauren thought for a minute though unnecessary because how could she forget?

“They called me Hobo Lolo.”

“And again I’m really sorry for starting that.”

“Whatever, this will be different. I’m not Hobo Lolo anymore. I’m 23 years old and teenagers don’t control my emotions. Besides how many people can say they get to do senior year over again. It’s gonna be awesome.” Lauren says. It’s pretty obvious that she’s trying harder to convince herself of the things she’s saying than Harry but he doesn’t comment.

“Where are you enrolling?” Harry asks putting some game cartridges on a behind the counter. He’s 21 year old Game Stop employee. Lauren constantly encourages him to pursue a degree and get a real job and he tells her to go fuck herself. They have a great sibling dynamic. Harry has dreams of being a musician and songwriter, which Lauren fully supports. She just thinks in the meantime he could be working in a place where his supervisor isn’t younger than him and maybe living somewhere that isn’t their parents’ house.  

“George Washington High.” Lauren answers.

Harry whips around knocking over several copies of Mario Kart in the process, “Seriously? They have the best music program in the whole city. The department head actually tours with a few famous bands during the summer.”

“Okay… that was information I did not need,” Lauren retorts. Harry rolls his eye and goes back to stocking the shelf. “Can I borrow your car or not?”

“Sure, just don’t scratch my baby.”

Harry’s _baby_ is really one giant scratch and eyesore of a car but instead of stating that Lauren just gives her brother a hug and kiss on the cheek, which gets wiped away, and exchanges keys with him.

“And you be sure to treat my car right as well.” Lauren warns.

“I’ll polish it every day. Gotta look like the coolest soccer mom in the carpool lane.” Harry says in a wickedly sweet tone topped off with a sarcastic smile. Lauren flips him off and leaves. She has some research to do.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know how I feel about this yet. If you like it and want to read more please let me know :)


End file.
